Have you ever seen the movie Father of the Bride? It’s one of the very few movies that I actually own on DVD, because I just love to rewatch it. The part that I like most about it, is how much daughter Annie adores her Dad, George Banks, (played by Steve Martin) and how he eventually always does everything to make her happy. It’s a film about a typical American wedding and how costly it can become. Watching George go through several mental stages from pure shock to nervous breakdown while trying to keep his finances in check with the upcoming wedding of his daugther, that he will have to pay for as it’s tradition in America – a priceless TV moment to remember. To add to his misery he also has to deal with wedding planner Franck (played by Martin Short), who not only has a very thick immigrant accent, but also keeps selling Annie and her Mom on all the traditional and very expensive must haves for a wedding they’ll never forget. George certainly will remember it for the rest of his life and probably also pay for it until then.

If you’re about to get married or you are in the process of planning a wedding as a parent, you should check out the graphic below for a quick run down of the average cost of an American wedding. I have another 15-20 years until my daughter comes of age, so I better start saving now or pray that the luxury wedding mentality will have changed by then.

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About This Blog

Hi, I'm Dan and I came to America in 2005 as a trailing spouse.

With this blog I share my thoughts and experience about the expat life in America. No matter if you're a new or veteran expat or just love everything USA, you'll find plenty of tips and ideas in this blog. Enjoy!